15 comments:

MB, you are an excellent writer. There will always be detractors, and they will always hurt. Hitting that delete button is really important. Don't waste time on those eeeediots, especially those who type, "u hav no bizness B-ing a righter cuz u stoopid". Love those people. [insert eye roll here]I fear for the future of the English language - spoken and written - with those people around. Sorry you had to go through all that. Mean people suck.Kris

I once had an editor tell me that the best kind of writing is the stuff that incites people to react strongly, and I really believe that.

You obviously stimulated your readers to look at something familiar in a new light! And however scary that might've been for them, they should be grateful you gave them something to ponder besides Britney Spears' latest hijinx.

I still think people overreacted to your article. But perhaps, that is because I've known you for long enough to know that you weren't being serious.

It also makes me mad that they hid behind the "anon" when responding. I think if you feel strongly enough about something to voice your opinion or discontent then at least let whoever it is you are reaming know who you are. (I suppose the problem with that though is what happened here not too long ago. The lurker took people's accounts and posted comments that were clearly not those of the account owners.)

KB

PS. If you ever find out who wrote those nasty comments, esp about your wonderful parents, let me know, I will punch them in the knees for you.

I enjoyed the kitty-roasting article last december, and I enjoyed this one too. I also think you are raising very important questions about the human behaviour, questions we should definitely try to answer if we are to make the Internet something more than a flaming anonymous contest.

Hi MB, I read your article about the Christmas cartoons and realized it was satire. I've been reading your blog for some time and I know a little bit about you and your writing style.

As soon as I read the first entry on the message board for that article, I thought that perhaps the satire was just a little bit too subtle for some people in that particular web site's audience.

So I agree with your analysis of '... a very general audience ...which was not accustomed to reading satire on this particular site'.

I also wonder if some people may have quickly scanned through the article picked up bits and pieces and jumped to a conclusion (oh no - another article about how some beloved Christmas tradition isn't PC!) while missing the satire. I think scanning/skimming is done often with on-line text material.

Sad to say, but there are many people out there that feel free to say/write all kinds of nasty things anonymously that they would never, ever say to someone's face. Unfortunately, this probably won't be the last time this happens to you.

Hey, you got material for an article from the experience! So I guess you've found a way to deal with it.

Please don't stop writing. You are a good writer. We would all miss you if you stopped writing.

Hi, CJ. Thank you so much for the kind words. You're exactly right; it was an article that should have gone to a lit mag or stayed here on BlondeChampagne-- anywhere, really, but a general news site where people do indeed tend to skim and scan.

And while I wish I could take credit for him, the lovely doggie was chosen by the brilliant Aussies who run FreelanceSwitch.

It doesn't matter what the genre, the subject, or the writer is, there will be nasty, mean-spirited, and personal attacks. Look at the comments on any news story: One of the first ten you read will make you want to resign from the human race.

While it's easy to be overwhelmed by the seeming hostility of the general public, I prefer picturing a small number of people who literally spend all day online spewing vitriol, while the world at large rolls its collective eyes and moves on.

I love your work MB. I have been a reader here for a couple of years now, and I visit the site daily for my "fix". It was actually an article you wrote for the news website that brought me here in the first place and I've been hooked ever since! Keep up the good work... keep up the satire and wit... and work that delete button when needed!